by Jaclyn Quinn
“Boys, I’ll be happy to take whatever candy you don’t want off your hands,” Ryder announced.
Jake huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, right. Any abandoned candy goes to me and Eli.”
“Who says? I went trick-or-treating too,” Ryder shot back.
“I say. Uncle and uncle’s boyfriend trump tatutu shop employee,” Jake replied.
“Oh, I see how it is.” Ryder laughed. “Unbelievable.”
Man, Eli still had to get used to Jake acknowledging they were together. He kept waiting for it to be a prank or a mistake, but Jake had been really affectionate the last few days.
“Here, Ryder.” Dylan handed the guy a few pieces of candy. And not just any candy. The kid gave Ryder a couple of Snickers and a Twix. That was like striking Halloween candy gold.
Ryder’s face softened as he looked down at Dylan. “Thanks, little dude, but I was just kidding. I don’t want to take your candy.”
Dylan shrugged his shoulders, still handing the candy to Ryder. “You’re part of the family now, aren’t you?”
The smile fell from Ryder’s face as he took the candy from Dylan then looked up at Jake. “Uh…”
Jake stood and walked up behind Dylan, putting his hands on the boy’s shoulders. “Yeah, he’s part of the family.”
Jake had never seen that look on Ryder’s face before. A moment of gratitude flashed in his watery eyes. Ryder just nodded, took the candy, and cleared his throat. “I’m uh…I’m just gonna use the bathroom.” Ryder looked down at Dylan with absolute sincerity. “Thank you.”
The one thing Kevin and Maggie made sure of, no matter how busy they got in their careers, was that family came first. Somehow, they were growing into a makeshift family, and oddly enough, it was becoming their new normal.
Jake watched Ryder walk down the hall, and he swore he saw the guy wipe at his eyes. When he shifted his gaze, Avery was looking down the hall toward the closed bathroom door. He seemed like he was trying to figure something out. “Avery, you all right, man?”
Avery quickly turned his head and smiled. “Yes. Actually, I think I’m going to head home. I have to be up early tomorrow.” He walked over to the boys and gave them each a hug.
“Here, Uncle Avery.” Dylan handed Avery some of his candy and smiled. “I know Peanut Chews are your favorite.”
“They are.” Avery ruffled Dylan’s hair. “Thank you.”
“Here. You can have mine too.” Nick held his hand out, and Avery took the pieces of candy.
Jake knew Avery was feeling exactly how he was feeling tonight. Kevin and Maggie should be here for this. They should be seeing what amazing kids they raised. But no matter how angry, or hurt, or sad they all felt, it wasn’t going to change anything. So they had to make the best of the situation, like they had tonight.
It wasn’t long before everyone left and it was just the four of them again.
“Uncle J, did you see the huge bags of candy Nina and Stan gave us?” Dylan held up the large gift bag covered in pumpkins. “And they’re not even the little ones. They’re like real candy bars.”
Jake looked at the bag Dylan was holding up. “Good. Then you’ll have more than enough to share.”
It didn’t surprise him that their real grandparents hadn’t asked to see the boys or hadn’t wished them a Happy Halloween, even though it was their first holiday without their parents. Jake couldn’t shake the feeling that they were only trying to get custody out of spite to hurt him or hold on to a piece of Kevin, not because they loved the boys. Every time he thought about the boys being taken away from him, a ball of tension formed in his chest.
He felt a hand on his lower back and took a deep breath in. “Hey, you okay?” Eli’s hand slid around Jake’s waist.
“Yeah.” Jake wasn’t surprised anymore by his intense reaction to this man. He didn’t know why Eli wanted him. He may never understand it, but he completely accepted it now. Jake leaned in and gave Eli a quick kiss. “Will you stay tonight?”
“I don’t know if that’s…” Eli paused and must have seen the need in Jake’s eyes. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll stay.”
Jake leaned his forehead down on Eli’s for a minute and closed his eyes, breathing him in before he whispered, “Thank you.” He picked his head back up and looked over at the boys. “Guys, it’s time to put that stuff away and get ready for bed. You still have school tomorrow.”
Reluctantly, they both responded, “Okay,” and dumped the rest of the candy from their bags into the big bowls on the counter.
“Night Uncle J. Night Eli,” Nick said before heading up the stairs.
Dylan came over and hugged Jake goodnight then did the same with Eli. The way Dylan had taken to Eli made Jake smile. Every one of his friends had really rallied around the boys tonight. I think they had a good Halloween, Kevin.
Jake took Eli’s hand and led him into the family room to the couch. They both sat down, leaning their heads back against the couch, and let out heavy sighs. “I never realized how exhausting Halloween could be.” Jake turned his head in Eli’s direction. “Do you think the boys had fun?”
Eli looked at him and smiled. “I do. I think they had a lot of fun. You’re doing a great job, Jake.”
Jake stared at Eli with two words on the tip of his tongue that he didn’t want to come out. Then he remembered that this was Eli. His safe place. “I’m scared. It doesn’t matter what Avery says. It doesn’t matter what I tell the boys to put them at ease. I’m terrified a court can take this all away from me.”
Eli shifted and straddled Jake’s lap, taking his face in his hands. “It’s normal to be scared of losing something that hasn’t been made official yet, but I have no doubt that everything will be fine.” He softly kissed Jake. “I’ll have faith enough for both of us, okay?”
Jake nodded his head, wrapped his arms around Eli, and held him tight. He breathed him in, let the warmth of the man in his arms surround him, and felt his body react from the contact. He wanted to be as close as possible to Eli in that moment. Jake pulled back and met Eli’s eyes.
Eli took Jake’s face in his hands again and stared intently. Slightly, he nodded his head and whispered, “We have to be quiet.” Eli kissed him softly, stood up, and grabbed Jake’s hand to pull him up off the couch.
They tiptoed up the steps. Once inside the guest room with the door locked, Eli undressed Jake slowly. Then he undressed himself and pulled the covers back off the bed. They climbed into bed and within seconds, Eli was on top of Jake kissing him and grinding against him. Jake let Eli have control because it was exactly what he needed right now.
They didn’t waste time with foreplay or words. Eli reached into the nightstand drawer and got the lube and condoms. He squirted some lube in Jake’s hand then pulled it between his legs until Jake sat up and took over, pushing a finger into Eli’s body as he wrapped the other arm around his waist. He watched Eli’s eyes roll back right before he closed them, and his body shuddered. Eli moved his body on Jake’s finger then pulled on Jake’s hand. “Not enough.”
Quickly, things progressed as Eli got Jake ready, got up on his knees, and slowly sat back down, taking Jake’s cock inside him. They both sighed from the intimate connection. Eli began rocking his body forward and back, holding Jake in his steady gaze. This man had so much power over him and he had no clue.
“The nights where I’d come to you, in the middle of the night,” Jake thrust his hips up and Eli released a shuddering breath, “I needed you.” Eli grasped the sides of Jake’s neck with both hands as Jake drove into Eli again. “It wasn’t to scratch an itch.” He held Eli’s waist tightly. “I physically needed you.” As he flipped them over, bringing Eli to his back with Jake hovering above him, Eli looked caught off-guard then gasped when Jake drove into him again. “I’d breathe a sigh of relief,” Jake leaned down and kissed Eli, “the second I was inside you.”
“Jake,” Eli whispered.
“Sometimes you’d fall asleep first…” Jake thrust in again, r
eveling in the small sound that escaped Eli’s plump lips, “and I’d lie there and watch you.” Jake sat up on his knees, resting Eli’s thighs on his own as he pounded into him. “I’d stay for as long as I possibly could and leave before you woke up,” he made sure Eli was looking at him, “because I was afraid of needing you so badly.”
Jake held the connection with his own eyes, every thrust drawing them closer together. “That doesn’t scare me anymore.” He aimed for Eli’s prostate repeatedly then leaned down and kissed him to hold in the sounds he was making. “I know I still don’t deserve you,” he slid his mouth over to Eli’s ear, nipped the lobe, and whispered, “but I need you, Eli.”
Eli’s whole body tensed as he let go and opened his mouth in a silent scream, shooting all over his stomach, neither one of them ever touching his cock. Man, it was such a fucking gorgeous thing to watch Eli come. Jake sat up, grabbed onto Eli’s thighs, and hurried his thrusts, bringing himself to a powerful end as he bit his lip and held in the roar that was clawing to come out.
He looked back down at Eli and was overcome with emotion. He still firmly believed that he didn’t deserve this man, but he sure as hell was going to make sure he never lost him again.
They were both panting, staring at one another, as a small smile curved Eli’s gorgeous mouth. Jake slid out of Eli and removed the condom, wrapping it in a tissue before throwing it out. He didn’t want too much space between them, so he reached for his shirt on the floor to clean them both up. Jake lay back down and pulled Eli until his head landed on his chest. He yanked the sheet up over them both. They lay in silence for a while, with Jake slowly running his hand up and down Eli’s back.
“I need you too,” Eli whispered against Jake’s chest. He tilted his head back and stared into Jake’s eyes. Jake leaned in and kissed him.
They were quiet for a few minutes until Jake asked, “Will you be there?”
Eli lifted his head up, his brows drawn together. “Be where?”
“At the hearing. I know Avery’s going, but I need you there.”
“Hell yeah, I’m going.” Eli leaned over and kissed Jake again then rested his head back on Jake’s chest.
Jake released the breath he’d been holding and began to gently move his hand again, up and down the length of Eli’s back. He could feel the moment when Eli fell asleep, his body becoming more relaxed, his breathing more even. He never thought there would be nights like this. He never gave himself permission to want nights like this. Yet, somehow, he’d found a man who, after all Jake had put him through, still gave him one more chance.
Jake was right about himself—he was a selfish bastard. From the very beginning, he couldn’t let Eli go completely. Now, even knowing Eli deserved someone better, Jake was going to keep this man in his life and in his bed no matter what it took.
The day before the hearing was a tense one. Everyone walked on eggshells in the shop. Avery got confirmation that Jake’s parents planned on being there even though Avery still assured them that it was a waste of everyone’s time. Knowing the boys wouldn’t be able to concentrate anyway, Jake informed both schools that they would be absent and why.
Eli stood in the doorway of Jake’s station, not surprised in the least to find him staring off into space. Jake had been like that all day and even cancelled a client for fear he wouldn’t be able to focus and would fuck up.
“Hey.” Eli walked into the room, and Jake looked up at him and gave him a half-hearted smile. Immediately, Eli crossed the room and wrapped his arms around the brooding man. “You have to stop doing this to yourself. You’re gonna make yourself sick before tomorrow even comes.”
Jake kissed the side of Eli’s neck then let him go and began to pace the small room. “I know, but I just can’t stop thinking about it. Losing those kids would be like…” he scrubbed a hand over his face, “losing my brother all over again.”
“I think we need to do something to take our minds off it tonight after you and Nick get back from therapy. Order some pizza, make some popcorn, watch a movie,” Eli suggested.
“Yeah, that sounds good.”
“Do you want me to ask the others?”
Jake walked over to Eli and took him back in his arms, leaning their foreheads together. “No, I want it to just be the four of us tonight. That okay?”
“Of course, it’s okay.” If he had it his way, it would be just the four of them most of the time. Getting ready in the mornings, homework, bargaining to stay up an extra fifteen minutes on a school night, these were the simple things he looked forward to now. But they’d just gotten to the point where Jake was finally admitting he wanted more. There was no way Eli was going to rush him into promising forever.
“I want you to stay tonight too.”
Eli chuckled. “I’ve stayed every night since Halloween. I think that can be arranged.”
Jake drew back and met Eli’s eyes. “You have, haven’t you? It seems so natural for you to be there.”
Eli’s pulse kicked up every time Jake said something like that.
“Ugh,” Ryder grumbled, “you guys need a room.”
“This is my room, dumbass.” Jake let go of Eli but didn’t put any space between them.
Ryder waved his hand. “You know what I mean. This domesticated bliss shit is grossing me out.” He smirked, letting them both know he wasn’t serious. “It’s almost time to close up.”
Jake lit up his phone to see the time. “Shit, I didn’t even realize how late it was.”
“That’s because you’re in a fog, boss-man,” Ryder teased. His face softened as he pushed his glasses up higher on his nose. “Why don’t you guys get outta here? I can close up.”
“You sure, man?’
“Positive.” Ryder smiled and headed in the direction of the front of the shop.
Jake turned to Eli. “You all set to leave?”
“Yeah, I’ll walk out with you, but I have to stop at my place first and get something to wear tomorrow.” Eli followed Jake to the door, bumping into him when Jake stopped suddenly. Jake turned around, took Eli’s face in his hands—and kissed the ever-loving shit out of him.
When he let go, Eli put a hand on the wall to steady himself. “Jesus. What was that for? Not that I’m complaining.”
Jake’s mouth curved up on the left side and he shrugged his shoulders, gave Eli one more peck, and then left the room.
Eli grinned from ear-to-ear. “I’m not complaining at all,” he said to himself before he followed Jake.
It felt like it took hours for Eli to finally get there, even though it was no longer than thirty minutes. When Eli stepped into the family room, and made eye contact with Jake, some of the tension in the room melted away.
Eli had his clothes for the next day on a hanger and an overnight bag in his hand. As soon as Dylan saw him, he popped up off the floor and ran over to him. “Are you staying again?”
A moment of doubt crossed Eli’s face. Jake knew he was struggling with how forthcoming they should be with the boys. “Yeah, he is,” Jake answered for him just as the doorbell rang. “That’s the pizza. Dylan, can you help him bring his bag upstairs, and I’ll get that?”
Dylan nodded his head enthusiastically and took the bag from Eli, bounding up the stairs in front of him. By the time they came back downstairs, Eli had a look on his face that Jake couldn’t quite read.
“You okay?” Jake asked, studying him.
“What? Oh, yeah. I’m good,” Eli responded though he still seemed to be figuring something out.
“You’re sure?”
He approached Jake and stared at him for a second. “Positive.” He took one of the pizza boxes and turning for the kitchen.
“Okay.” He still wasn’t convinced, but he let it go. “Boys, come eat,” Jake yelled toward the family room. By the time he’d turned toward the kitchen, both boys were zipping past him to the table. He learned several weeks ago that they had particular seats they sat in at the table, leaving Jake and Eli to sit acro
ss from each other.
Jake looked around the table. He laughed when Dylan took a bite, and the cheese stretched into a long string from the end of the slice to his mouth. He listened when Nick told Eli about the test he had in school and asked him if he could help him with a project. He felt a huge smile spread on his face as he watched how easily the boys interacted with Eli. And when Eli gazed at him across the table, and a gorgeous smile spread across his face, damned if he didn’t feel proud that Eli chose him. He couldn’t help but feel like they were a real family. He’d dare anyone to look at them, in that moment, and say they weren’t. I’m going to keep this, Kevin.
They finished dinner, made some popcorn, and watched a movie together on the couch. The boys were like bookends on either side of Jake and Eli. Nick was leaning against Jake’s side, and Dylan was curled up to Eli. They didn’t talk about the hearing, and it was probably for the best.
When it was time for the boys to turn in, Jake and Eli decided to call it an early night too. The hearing was at nine the next morning, but Avery was coming to the house first at eight. Jake and Eli seemed to get ready for bed in slow motion, as if that would delay whatever was going to happen the next day. It was a chilly night for the beginning of November, and they each put on some sleep pants and T-shirts. Jake went to Nick’s room first to say goodnight then made his way over to Dylan’s.
By the time he got to the guest room, Eli was in bed, reading something on his iPad. Jake stopped in the doorway and just watched him. A feeling of normalcy came over him again. This was what he could potentially have from now on. This is my life now.
Eli looked up from his iPad and chuckled. “What?”
“Nothing,” Jake answered and padded across the room, lifted up the covers, and got in next to Eli. He stared at the ceiling, making a mental note of things he wanted to ask Avery the next morning, when there was a soft knock on the door.
Jake glanced at Eli before saying, “Come in.”